Slice tofu into strips or cubes and pat dry; roughly chop a bunch of the greens.

Pan-fry the tofu in some oil until it browns on all sides, about four minutes; remove tofu from pan and pour off all but a little of the oil. Add the greens and pinch or two of red chile flakes, and continue cooking until the vegetables turn dark green, about three minutes.

Mix together peanut butter, soy sauce, and lime juice to taste; add a bit of water if necessary to get a nice consistency.

Add the sauce to the pan along with the reserved tofu and toss to coat. (You may not need to use all of the sauce, depending on how much greens/tofu you have). Garnish with crushed peanuts and serve.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer on two rimmed baking sheets. Brush lightly on both sides with oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until eggplant is tender and golden, turning halfway through, 25 to 30 minutes.

Lay a fourth of eggplant slices in bottom of prepared dish; spread with half of marinara sauce. Top with another fourth of eggplant; spread with half of ricotta. Repeat layers, ending with ricotta; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until bubbling and golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool 10 minutes before serving.

September 03, 2012

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Cut eggplants into 1-inch cubes. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast until browned and tender, about 25 minutes. Toss with red-wine vinegar and basil leaves.

Place the eggplant slices on a wire rack and sprinkle them lightly with salt on both sides. Set the rack aside until the eggplant begins to "sweat," usually 15 to 20 minutes. Blot the eggplant dry with clean paper towels.

Arrange the eggplant and all the bell pepper slices on a large baking sheet, and brush both sides of all the pieces with the olive oil. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Transfer the eggplant and peppers to the grill, in batches if necessary, and cook, turning them occasionally to promote even browning, until they are softened and nicely marked, 15 to 20 minutes.

Transfer the grilled eggplant slices to a large platter, and top them with the pepper strips. Garnish with the crumbled feta and minced marjoram. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice, and serve either warm or at room temperature.

In a large bowl, combine the cabbage slaw mix, bell pepper, onion and shredded herbs. In a separate smaller bowl, whisk together the sour cream, buttermilk, vinegar, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.

February 19, 2012

This is an easy soup that can be customized to your tastes; it would be delicious to substitute shrimp for the chicken. I made this yesterday when my dear friend Deb Baker came over for an afternoon of knitting. We are both fans of homemade soup and Thai food!

* NOTE: If desired, you can use 4 packages of Thai Kitchen Lemongrass and Chili Instant Rice Noodle Soup (1.6oz) instead of the rice noodles called for above. In this case, you'll have the packets of chili oil and seasoning to incporate into the soup; these may be added when you add the chicken to the soup.

Method:
1.) Boil lobster tails for 8 to 10 minutes in salted water (until shells curl and lobster meat turns white). Drain, transfer to a cutting board, and cool for 15 minutes. Using kitchen shears or a sharp knife, cut through the top shell lengthwise. Remove the meat and cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Set aside.

2.) Meanwhile, bring the chicken stock to a boil in a pan and keep hot over low heat. Keep a ladle handy.

3.) Melt 3 Tbsp butter in large pot over medium heat. Cook butter 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Add onion; cook 3 minutes. Add garlic and rice, stirring to coat with the rice with the butter. Add brandy, simmer until the liquid has almost evaporated (3 minutes). Add 1/2 cup of hot stock and stir until almost completely absorbed, about 2 minutes. Continue adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly and allowing to absorb before adding the next. This process should take about 20 minutes and rice should be "al dente." Remove from heat.

4.) Stir in Parmesan, 1Tbsp butter, chives, and salt/pepper to taste. Transfer to a serving bowl. Arrange the lobster meat on top of the risotto and garnish with the remaining chives.

Add boiling water, salt and pepper to rice mixture. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook 16-18 minutes; all of the water should be absorbed. Remove from heat. Remove cover, drape a clean kitchen towel over the pan and replace the cover. Allow to stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and serve.

Make streusel: Mix flour, maple sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Add melted butter and rub in with a fork or your fingertips until moise clumps form. Mix in reserved 1/2 cup grated yams. Cover and refrigerate.

Notes:Pico de gallo is a fresh salsa of tomatoes, onions and seasonings. It can usually be found in the refrigerated section of your grocery store, either in the produce aisle or where the refrigerated salsa is kept. If you can't find it you may substitute regular salsa -- or even chopped fresh tomatoes, onions and garlic.

To store leftovers (if you have any!) place in the smallest possible container and seal tightly to prevent exposure to air. Avocados turn brown when exposed to air, so you have to minimize the exposed surface area.

Holding the chiles one at a time with metal tongs, quickly toast them by turning them an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds until the aroma fills the kitchen. (Alternatively, toast chiles in a dry pan over medium heat, pressing them flat for a few seconds then flipping them over and pressing again.)

When cool enough to handle, stem and seed the chiles, break them into pieces and put them in a blender along with tomatoes and their juice. (A food processor will work, though it won’t completely puree the chiles.)

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 9 minutes. Scoop up the onion and garlic with a slotted spoon and transfer to the blender with the tomato mixture. Process until smooth.

Return the pot to medium heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir nearly constantly until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes. Add broth, water and epazote (if using). Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer.

Drain tofu, rinse and pat dry; cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch cubes. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook in a single layer, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes total. Add the tofu to the soup and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add chard (or spinach or kale) to the soup and season with salt to taste, depending on the saltiness of the broth. Cook, stirring, until the greens are wilted, about 2 minutes, depending on the type of greens.

Tips and Notes:
Ingredient Notes: Pasilla chiles, sometimes called negro chiles, are medium-hot dried peppers with a flavor that defines tortilla soup in central Mexico. Find them and other dried chiles in the produce section of large supermarkets or online at melissas.com.
Epazote, an herb used in Mexican cooking, has a pungent, distinctive flavor unlike any other herb. Look for it fresh at farmers’ markets or find it dried at Latin markets or online from melissas.com.

April 24, 2010

What makes this chicken liver mousse so special is its coarse texture and use of very little fat. Most recipes for liver mousse made from cooked chicken livers contain copious amounts of butter or other fats for a moist and creamy texture. This version gets moisture, flavor and texture from onions, shallots and apple. For best results, do not overcook the chicken livers, which should be pink on the interior. Serve with mustard and crackers or toasted bread.

Heat oil in a large heavy nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken livers and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and a pinch of nutmeg. Cook until beginning to brown on the bottom, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn over using tongs and sprinkle with another 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and pinch of nutmeg. Cook until the livers are firm to the touch and pink on the inside when cut into, about 3 minutes more. Transfer to a bowl with the tongs (leave any remaining oil in the pan), cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour.

Meanwhile, add onions, shallots and garlic to the pan. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until browning and beginning to soften, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in apple, brandy, sage and thyme and scrape up any browned bits. Cover and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the onions are very soft and the apple is beginning to break down, 6 to 8 minutes more. Transfer the mixture to a shallow bowl and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Spoon the cooled livers and any juices into a food processor; pulse several times until the livers are coarsely chopped (individual pieces should be about 1/4 inch). Using a rubber spatula, scrape the mixture into a medium bowl. Add the onion mixture to the food processor and pulse to coarsely chop until it resembles cooked oatmeal. Transfer to the bowl and stir the liver and onions to form a lumpy, homogenous paste. Season with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, or more to taste. Spoon the liver mousse into a deep bowl just large enough to hold it. Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Tips and Notes:
Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week.
Note: Look for fresh chicken livers that have not been previously frozen. Previously frozen livers exude more liquid when cooking so they don’t brown properly, which results in watery, less pleasant texture for the mousse.

Combine water and 1/4 cup salt in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Add shrimp and immediately turn off the heat. Let the shrimp sit until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes.

Chop the shrimp into 1/2-inch pieces and place in a medium nonreactive bowl (see Tip). Add lemon, lime and orange juice. Stir in cucumber, onion and chiles. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Tips and Notes:
Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 2 and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Kitchen Tip: A nonreactive bowl or pan—stainless-steel, enamel-coated or glass—is necessary when cooking with acidic foods, such as lemon, to prevent the food from reacting with the pan. Reactive pans, such as aluminum and cast-iron, can impart an off color and/or off flavor.

February 27, 2010

I saw this recipe on the International Herald Tribune and thought it looked really good. It was part of a series called Recipes for Health: Feast Like the Greeks.Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound dried large lima beans or white beans, soaked if necessary for
six hours or overnight in 2 quarts of water and drained (limas require no
soaking)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, preferably a sweet red onion, finely chopped

1 28-ounce can chopped tomatoes

1 bay leaf

3 tablespoons honey, such as clover or acacia

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1/4 cup red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup, loosely packed, chopped fresh dill

Method:

Combine the drained beans and water to cover by 3 inches in a large,
oven-proof casserole or Dutch oven, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover
and simmer 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat 2 tablespoons of the
olive oil in a medium size, heavy skillet over medium heat, and add the onion.
Cook, stirring often, until tender and lightly caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat.

After 30 minutes, drain the beans and return them to the pot. Add the
remaining olive oil, the tomatoes and the liquid in the can, bay leaf, honey,
and 2 cups water or enough to just cover the beans. Stir in the onion, and
bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover and place in the oven. Bake one hour,
stirring often and adding water if necessary. Add the tomato paste, vinegar,
salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 more minutes, until the beans are
tender and the mixture is thick.

Stir in the dill, cover and let sit 15 minutes. Taste and adjust
seasonings. Serve with thick slices of country bread.

Advance preparation: This can be made through step 3 a day or two ahead
of time. Add water if the mixture is too thick to bring to a simmer on top of
the stove. Bring to a simmer, and proceed with the recipe. Leftovers will be
good for three or four days.

Method:Pulse blend all ingredients in a food processor until coarsely chopped and blended. Brown slices of baguette (1/3 inch slices) under broiler, rub with cut side of garlic clove, drizzle with EVOO and top with relish.

Beat egg whites with sugar until soft peaks form. Fold about 3/4 cup of hot tapioca mixture into the egg whites, then gently fold mixture back into saucepan. Stir over low heat for about 3 minutes. Cool 15 minutes, and then add vanilla.

Place chicken stock in a medium saucepan and heat to a simmer; keep hot, but not boiling. Have a ladle ready.

Warm the olive oil and gently cook the onion until golden-brown.

Add rice and stir with a wooden spoon over medium heat for a few minutes. Rice grains should be opaque and very hot, but not brown.

Add wine and stir until liquid has been absorbed and the fumes evaporated.

Add the first ladleful of hot chicken stock, stir, and wait for it to be absorbed. Add more stock and repeat. Continue in this way, always waiting for the rice to swell with the stock it has absorbed before adding more. You should keep a constant ripple going in the pot, never too wet and never dried out for more than a few seconds.

When the risotto is velvety and creamy, but with each grain still firm to the bite in the middle, take it off the heat and stir in the chicken, butter and cheese.

Adjust seasonings and cover. Let rest for 3 minutes, then transfer to a warm serving platter and serve at once.

Heat peanut oil and sesame oil in large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat until almost smoking.

Remove each tuna steak from marinade, but keep as much ginger and sesame seeds as possible clinging to the tuna steaks.

Sear tuna steaks for 2 minutes per side for rare - it should be very pink and cool inside, but with a dark golden crust on the outside. Remove to a warm plate and allow to stand for a minute or so, and then serve.

February 10, 2008

These are fun to make and delicious finger food. Set up the ingredients and have a 'build your own' spring roll bar for your friends. Or have them for a casual, light supper like we did. The variations are endless...choose some of the ingredients below and be creative!

January 13, 2008

A staple in the diet of the ancient Incas, quinoa (KEEN-wah) is well on its way to being dubbed supergrain of the millennium. High in fiber and a high-quality protein similar to that found in meat, this grain cooks up like rice and has a mild flavor similar to couscous. Quinoa can be found in health-food stores and many supermarkets.

September 16, 2007

This dish is utterly fabulous. My husband helped could not stop raving about how delicious it was - both during and after dinner! This is definitely going on my list of favorite recipes. I served it with chicken breasts wrapped in prosciutto and Pinot Grigio.

Blend the rice into the vegetables and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes or until it looks chalky and a white dot is clearly visible in the center of each grain. Stir in the wine, cooking until it has been absorbed. Add the tomatoes, stirring until absorbed.

Begin adding the simmering broth to the rice mixture, one cup at a time, simmering and stirring until each addition is absorbed by the rice. After about 6 cups, add the broth in 1/2 cup increments and start tasting the rice. It should be tender but still a little firm, never mushy. Risotto should be creamy without being soupy.

When the rice is a little firmer than you'd like (al dente), remove the pot from the heat. Remove bay leaves and herb sprigs. Fold in the cheese and butter. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Let the risotto rest a moment to meld the flavors, then spoon into heated soup dishes and serve immediately - with a glass of the same wine as you used in the recipe.

Preheat oven to 375°. Pierce potatoes with a fork; bake on oven rack until tender, 1 1/2 hours. Cool 10 minutes. Potatoes can also be cooked in a microwave on High for 9 minutes, and finished off in a 375° oven for about 20 minutes.

Halve potatoes lengthwise. Scoop flesh into a medium bowl, being careful not to tear the potato skin. Add milk, butter, sour cream, cheese and scallions; season with salt and pepper. Whip until creamy, but do not overmix.

Scoop filling back into potatoe shells, and place in a baking dish just large enough to hold them. Bake until heated through, about15 to 20 minutes.

January 08, 2007

I marinated some chicken breasts with Target's Archer Farms Tikka Masala sauce and created this side dish to complement it. Sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans are chock full of vitamins and minerals, so this could stand alone as a vegetarian entree as well.

September 05, 2006

A northern Italian specialty dating as far back as the Renaissance, risotto is traditionally served as a primo piatto
(first course), after the antipasto. It is made from a high-starch rice
such as Arborio or Carnaroli. The small grains become exceptionally
creamy as the dish slowly simmers. Here, butternut squash puree and
caramelized onions lend a mellow sweetness to the risotto.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 4 Tbs. of the butter. Add 1
Tbs. of the sage and heat until the butter browns. Strain the butter
into a small bowl and discard the sage. Cover the bowl to keep the
butter warm.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, whisk together the
stock and squash puree. Bring just to a simmer, 8 to 10 minutes;
maintain over low heat.

In a large saucepan or risotto pan over medium heat, warm the
olive oil. Add the caramelized onions and rice and stir until the
grains are well coated with the oil and are nearly translucent with a
white dot in the center, about 3 minutes. Stir in the remaining 1 Tbs.
sage and the rosemary. Add the wine and stir until it is absorbed.

Add the simmering stock mixture a ladleful at a time, stirring
frequently after each addition. Wait until the stock is almost
completely absorbed before adding more.

When the rice is tender to the bite but slightly firm in the center and
looks creamy, after about 30 minutes, stir in the remaining 3 Tbs.
butter, the cheese, salt and pepper. Add more stock if needed so the
rice is thick and creamy. Let stand for 2 minutes. Drizzle with the
reserved sage butter and serve immediately.

Cut the potatoes into uniform-sized pieces. Simmer the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain the potatoes well and spread on a sheet pan. Place the pan in a 300 degree oven for 5 minutes to dry them well. Remove the potatoes from the oven and immediately pass them through a ricer or food mill into a stainless steel bowl.

Add the beaten egg and egg yolks, salt, pepper, clarified butter and nutmeg and mix until incorporated. Add half the flour to the bowl and mix well.

Spread a portion of the remaining flour on a work surface. Place the dough on the work surface and knead additional flour into the dough until it is firm and workable.

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a cylinder approximately 2 feet long. With a dough knife, rubber spatula, or the blunt side of a knife, cut the dough into 1/4- to 1/2-ounce pieces.

Round each piece into a ball. Flour the tines of a dinner fork. Using your thumb, draw each gnocchi ball down the tines of the fork while at the same time making an indentation in the gnocchi with your thumb. Repeat until all the dough is formed.

Place the gnocchi on a floured sheet pan. Cover and refrigerate (or freeze for later use).

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Cook the gnocchi in the water for 2 to 3 minutes. A few seconds after they begin to float remove them with a spider or slotted spoon and drain well.

Sauté the gnocchi in butter, in small batches, browning them slightly. Place in serving dishes and top with grated Parmesan and Fontina slices. Place under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes to melt the cheese. Serve immediately.

Variation: As an alternative to melting cheese on top, gnocchi may be sauteed and served with traditional pasta sauces - such as tomato sauce, pesto sauce, or any number of cream sauces.

Whisk the eggs to blend. Add the water, flour, salt and nutmeg. Mix by hand until well blended; the batter should be a smooth, gooey paste. If too thin, add more flour. Cover and refrigerate the batter for at least 30 minutes.

Place the batter in a spaetzle maker, perforated pan, or collander suspended over a large pot of boiling water. Press the batter through the holes in the collander using a plastic bowl scraper or rubber spatula. The batter should drop into the boiling water and form small dumplings. (Note: if it turns into the consistency of porridge, add more flour to thicken the batter.)

Stir the spaetzle to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Lower the temperature to a simmer.

Cook the dumplings in the simmering water until they float to the surface, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Remove them with a skimmer and shock them in a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process.

Sauté the dumplings in butter to heat through. Season with salt and white pepper; garnish with chopped parsley.

Peel the potatoes and hold them in water to prevent browning. Pour the bechamel sauce into a stainless steel bowl. Slice the potatoes thinly (a mandoline works well for this) directly into the sauce. Stir occassionally so that the sauce coats the potatoes.

Season as desired with the salt, white pepper and nutmeg.

Layer the potatoes and sauce in a buttered 9"x12" pan. Pour any remaining sauce over the top of the potatoes.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Uncover and bake until the potatoes are cooked and brown on top, approximately 20 to 30 minutes longer. Remove from oven and let sit 5 minutes before cutting.

This is a classic Northern Italian dish, often served with Osso Buco (veal shank). The rice should NOT be rinsed beforehand, otherwise it will not achieve its characteristic creamy texture. Be sure to add the stock to the rice slowly, about 4 ounces at a time, waiting until it is absorbed before adding more.

Bring the stock to a simmer. Soak the saffron threads in 1 fluid ounce hot water.

Heat 1 ½ oz. of the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add the onion and sweat until translucent; do not brown.

Add the rice to the onion and butter. Stir well to coat the grains with butter, but do not allow the rice to brown. Add the wine and stir until it is completely absorbed.

Add the saffron and its soaking liquid. Add the simmering stock, 4 fluid ounces at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until the stock is absorbed before adding the next 4 fluid ounce portion.

After approximately 18 to 20 minutes, all the stock should be incorporated and the rice should be tender (but still al dente). Remove from heat and stir in the remaining 1/2 ounce of butter and the grated Parmesan. Serve immediately.